Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to distribution of content and more particularly to generation and distribution of multi-media content over a variety of channels.
Content providers typically manage and distribute a number of content assets such as multi-media programs, e.g., movies, television programs, etc. The content provider may make these assets available via any one or more of a variety of different channels such as the Internet, satellite or terrestrial broadcast, cable transmission, etc. to a number of subscribers or users. However, each distribution channel may have different format, protocol, or other requirements that may or may not be directly compatible with the source of the content asset. To prepare content for distribution via these different channels is typically a highly labor intensive process in which content components are manually collected and assembled into a finished content file for distribution. For example, in order for a content provider to generate a deliverable content file, a human operator must collect various components such as a video track, one or more audio tracks, close captioning information, and various other components appropriate for the deliverable file and the channel for which it is distributed. Such a process is expensive, time consuming, and subject to human error.
Multi-media content distributed by a content provider can include audio portions with audio tracks that vary from quiet to loud throughout the length of the content. For example, an action movie can include very loud portions involving fights, explosions, car chases, etc. as well as quieter portions. However, extremes in audio volume can be annoying or undesirable to users or consumers of the content. One approach to reducing these extremes in volume is to implement an automatic volume control on the end device playing the content. In such implementations, the end device, such as a television, can automatically adjust the volume of the audio to reduce or control extreme changes in the audio level. However, not all devices are so equipped. Thus, another approach has been for the content provider to attempt to normalize the audio level of a deliverable content file. This process involves sampling the audio level of the content file at fixed times throughout the audio track and normalizing the audio level of the entire audio track based on the collection of samples. However, results of such a process can be easily skewed by audio tracks having a significant portion thereof containing very loud audio, e.g., action movies, or having a significant portion thereof containing very quiet audio, e.g., drama movies.
Hence, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for generating and distributing multi-media content over a variety of channels. There is also a need in the art for improved methods and systems for normalizing an audio level of the multi-media content.